Who had the better week: Beirut or college-band geeks? Well Zach played three sold-out shows in Brooklyn (including a secret gig in Greenpoint to kick it off) and made his network television debut at the Ed Sullivan Theatre on Friday night, so that is pretty good. But between the USC Marching Band's Radiohead moment and the thirty-plus members of the Vassar Orkestar joining Beirut at this past weekend's Brooklyn Academy Of Music concerts, collegiate ensembles had the indie-rock week of their lives. I went to Beirut's Music Hall of Williamsburg show and Friday night's BAM performance (pics TK), the same night he brought a third of the Vassar Orkestar to Letterman to perform The Flying Club Cup's "A Sunday Smile." Big band and killer takes on March Of The Zapotec/Holland EP tunes aside, the Brooklyn shows were notable for the new song "East Harlem." (Well, new/old. Said Zach at MHOW: "I wrote this song when I was 17, it feels good to finally play it.") It's a lovelorn uke ditty, gradually incorporating the band at large, all about "1,000 miles between us" and tapping Zach's inner-Stephin Merritt. Here's a version of that one from Saturday night at BAM, along with his first performance on late night television. Says Dave: "God that was cool."
"East Harlem" (Live @ BAM 2/7/09)
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"A Sunday Smile" On Letterman
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Beirut's March Of The Zapotec/Holland EP is out 2/17 via Pompeii Records/Ba Da Bing.
